What chainring y'all using?

[oldguy00]

Seems like a lot of folks I ride with, even some of the stronger guys who like to spin (cat 2 level riders), are often going with 50t chainrings, and in some cases even switching to a compact crank all together.
I typically use a 53/42, I'm a grinder...
I have a 12/23 on the back, and when I think about it, it really isn't that often I use a 53/12....or even the 53/13.
I'm not going to a compact crank, as I like having the larger 'small' ring, but am thinking of switching my 53 to a 50..

[AngryScientist]

i'm a wimp and run a compact, and for sure, i've never (or super rarely) wished for anything more than my 50/11

[Joachim]

I prefer 52/42t for the flatlands/low country (TA Specialites and Stronglight makes 51t and 50t for 130bcd), but it's like shoes.

[Ti Designs]

I run a 55/44 up front with an 11-23 cassette. My new climbing bike has a 53/39 and can take up to a 32 in back. After riding it a few times I now understand all the chain noise I hear from people on compact gearing...

[oldpotatoe]

Seems like a lot of folks I ride with, even some of the stronger guys who like to spin (cat 2 level riders), are often going with 50t chainrings, and in some cases even switching to a compact crank all together.
I typically use a 53/42, I'm a grinder...
I have a 12/23 on the back, and when I think about it, it really isn't that often I use a 53/12....or even the 53/13.
I'm not going to a compact crank, as I like having the larger 'small' ring, but am thinking of switching my 53 to a 50..

I found that with a 53/39, I was at the bigger cog, lower gear end of my freewheel(yep a 7s freewheel) all the time when in the 53. Switched to a 50/39 and now, unless going up hill or down, I'm in the middle 3 cogs of the freewheel. Try it, you'll like it. a 50/12 is still a big gear.

[Vientomas]

Compact here with 12/25 on the back.

I live in a mountainous area and like to climb. I average around 1,000 verts for every ten miles ridden.

I also have a long and steep hill that I have climb to get back home at the end of every ride. The compact sure is nice on that hill after a long ride!

[bumknees]

I'm still running a triple 53/42/30 (hoarded Record 10s triple cranks and recently some Chorus triple bb's) with 12-25 in the back. Have thought about going compact, but I can't justify getting a new crankset

[ahumblecycler]

CAAD10 = 53/39 with 11-25 cassette ... get me through everything
NEO = 53/39 with 12-27 cassette ... find the softer gearing to be annoying and less productive climbing.

I plan to hit WA in June assuming TDY is approved, and I will see whether my CAAD10 will take me through those "hills" :p

[McQueen]

I'm primarily a crit racer and a decent finisher. I've switched to compact gearing to no detriment of my finish. At 110 rpms a 50x11 has you at 40.2 mph. A 53x11 has you at 42.6, but by the same token an increase in rpm to 120 gets you to 43.8 in the 50x11. (if you are there, you are in Mark Cavendish speeds) I'll have to check my powertap data for my cadence in the sprint of our weekly crit, but i don't perceive that I am anywhere close to being limited by the 50t chainring. In fact, I doubt I'm sprinting in the 11 anyhow, and in western PA the compact gearing is helpful on the steep climbs we have.

[bobswire]

Funny you should mention this. I have been using compacts these last 3-4 years since I've been retired. Been riding more than ever with a fair amount of climbing thrown in.
I recently built up a bike and only had a campy centaur 53/39 crank available to use until I picked up a compact. Low and behold I Love it,faster on the flats and no problem climbing. If anything I may get a 52/38. Oh and I ain't no spring chicken. I use a 12/27 or 28 in the rear.

[xjoex]

34/50T Compact in the front with a 12-27 in the rear.

I never mind having the extra climbing gear and never mind the 50T.

-Joe

[jr59]

39-53 front and 11-25 back

No hills here! I can ride 200 miles with less than 150 ft in climbing!

But it is a STEEP 150 ft. :p

[socalspeedsk8r]

No such thing as flat we're I live, base of stage 7 of the Tour of California. It's either up or down. Went to a compact several years ago and never looked back. Paired with an 11-23 or 11-25, it seems to keep up with all the fast guys.

Scott

[Charles M]

Gear inches are gear inches.

Watts at x power and y cadence are what they are.


There is no,none,zero,zilch benefit that automatically comes at "z" gear inches/chainring size. Bigger or smaller.


If you like spinning, your terrain dictates if a compact ( or smaller rings on standard) will help. Same goes if you're a low cadence person...

[Nooch]

50/36 compact (upgraded the little ring from a 34, was just spinning out too much) with either an 11-28 or a 12-27, depending on the wheelset.

Was planning to upgrade to a standard 53/39 when I bought my Quarq, but reading what you guys are saying I'm not so sure it's worth it...?

[Bob Loblaw]

The real advantage of compacts, IMO, is not that you get lower gears...if you want low gears you could just change the cassette. The biggest compact advantage is that it offers a wider spread of ratios versus a standard crank.

A 34 x 23 is smaller than a 39 x 25, and a 50 x 11 is taller than a 53 x 12

Therefore a compact crank and an 11-23 cassette will offer a wider gear selection range than someone on a standard 53/39, 12-25.

[ergott]

53/39 is the 120mm of chainrings. :hello:

Ride what works for you, but it's 53/39 for me all the way.

[Ralph]

I'm an old guy, 10 or so lbs over weight, and I can't climb worth a toot. But fortunately live in Central Florida where it's either flat or rolling hills, with a few steep short climbs on the W side of the area.

I have 52-39 on both my bikes I ride regularly, and use a 13-26 or 13-29 in rear. That does it for me around here.

However....when I go to the mountains, I need some gears....and a compact just is not enough for long several mile climbs....for me. So I prefer a triple when I need low gears. 28-40-50 or 30-42-52 depending on what I use in the rear. I like to get pretty close to a 1-1 in rear....just in case I need it. I don't worry about how fast I can pedal going down hill. Down hill pedaling speed does not enter into my gearing decisions.

[weiwentg]

53-39 with a 12-25. having the 53-12 gear makes me feel macho. I've only ever used it once, though, on a downhill run.

[InspectorGadget]

I'm riding 53-39 with a 12-25 cassette. I live in the mountains at 6600 ft and every ride has some climbing, some more than others. My next bike will likely have a compact crank.

The bigger question is what do I put on the bike I'm building for Mrs. Gadget. She doesn't ride much, at least not as much as I would like to see her peddling next to me. Do I use the triple I already own or sell it a get her a compact? I'm leaning toward the compact.

[redir]

53x39 12x27 on my racing bike
54x42 13x26 on the old racing bike
54x42 11x23 on the TT bike
38x48 12x27 on the Cyclocross bike
53x40 on the Vintage Guerciotti

:)

[RPS]

Gear inches are gear inches.

Yeah, I have a hard time following why a 53/12 is far superior than a 50/11 but at the same time think that if it makes the rider happier more power to them. As long as our choices keep us riding. :beer:

[TomP]

I ride a compact with 52-36 in front paired to a 12-25 rear 10 speed Campy. I like a tight range on the cogset and this gives plenty of gear for down hills and steep climbs.

[Look585]

50x11 is enough for just about any crit outside an NRC race. I usually run a 48x14 or 51x15 on the track and usually see higher top speeds than in a crit.

My fat a$$ desperately needs the 34x25 in the hills.

[rice rocket]

There's some 20%+ grades that my friends like to drag me to, so 50/34 and 11-28 for me.

[gearguywb]

Love compacts for the mountains, but here it is very rolling with no long climbs. Went with a 52/36 setup and really like it.

[FlashUNC]

I like the compact simply because it affords me a wider gear range to stay in my big ring, and low enough gears to handle big hills and the like.

My only complaint is that shifting it isn't always as smooth as the 53-39. But that's a minor quibble.

[don compton]

I run a 48-34 crankset with a 12-25 10sp. cassette. I like to spin and this combo gives me great gearing in both flat and hilly rides.
Don

[Johnny P]

I use a 50/34 with a 13/29 in back. I like having a bail out gear for the hills.

[SoCalSteve]

I run a 48-34 crankset with a 12-25 10sp. cassette. I like to spin and this combo gives me great gearing in both flat and hilly rides.
Don

I'll 2 up you (down actually). I run a 46/34 with a 12/27 and I have NEVER run out of gears...I do not race, nor do I play a racer on TV. And, I can keep up with most people on the flats. Just ask False-Aesthetic who is 1/2 my age. We can ride for miles at 25-27 mph and I do just fine.

I find that being the "spinner" that I am, this gear combo works perfectly for every situation I can conceivably ride in.

But, thats just me. Everyones situation is different as is each person different with what they need.

[roydyates]

I'll 2 up you (down actually). I run a 46/34 with a 12/27 and I have NEVER run out of gears...I do not race, nor do I play a racer on TV. And, I can keep up with most people on the flats. Just ask False-Aesthetic who is 1/2 my age. We can ride for miles at 25-27 mph and I do just fine.

I find that being the "spinner" that I am, this gear combo works perfectly for every situation I can conceivably ride in.

But, thats just me. Everyones situation is different as is each person different with what they need.
I ride a 52-39-30 triple and an 12-32 cassette. I have some bikes with an 11-34 cassette. I don't really need the 52 since I only coast over 28 mph. I'd rather save my energy for the next hill. As SoCalSteve says, everyone's situation is different.

[Peter P.]

When I was racing, in my 20's-early 30's, I had a 43x52 with a 52x13 top gear. I can't sprint worth a poop, and certainly never touched my 13 in a sprint.

I can't stand a wide gap between chainrings, so when I bought a new crank, 39T was the standard inner ring, and 13T small cogs were old school; 12T was the new black. Well, I sure as heck ain't gonna spin out a 52x12 so I converted the new crank to 39x48 with a 12T top cog. 48x12 = 52x13.

I still think most amateurs have no business with this 53x12/11 stuff. So oldguy00; go ahead and get a smaller large ring. You won't miss much.

[witcombusa]

34 x 46 with a 13-30 cassette for the dirt road bike or 38 x 50 with a 13-26 on pave for me.
I live in a wonderfully hilly place so it works great for me. I prefer to have the low gears I need and simply coasting IF the down spins out my high gear.

[Fixed]

chainring 53-39
..12/21 8 speed on my merckx
works fine here
cheers

[choke]

I'm not going to a compact crank, as I like having the larger 'small' ring, but am thinking of switching my 53 to a 50..About 15 years ago I switched from a 53 to a 50 and have never looked back. I find I spend about 75% of my time in the big ring with the 50.

[Rueda Tropical]

For flat South Florida a 50/42 up front with a 12/25 cassette would be perfect for me (Campy 11spd). When traveling to someplace with climbs you can just swap the 42 for a 34 and if needed pop in the 12/29 in the back.

Unfortunately, now that I'm building a new build I've found out that the TA 11spd rings are not compatible with the latest 11spd cranks. I wish Campagnolo gave more chainring options. There is such a vast variety of terrains and rider abilities that offering 2 crank set ups is like offering only 2 size bikes.

[Jangles13]

I've got a 52/42 with a 11-25(?) 7spd. I got the bike by way of California, where it was presumably flat, and now ride it here where the only flat spots are parking lots.

I spend a lot of time on the 42...

[dnades]

50/36 and 50/34 with a 12/25 cassette. I find this fine on hilly terrain. Am going to try a 12/23 cassette and see how that works. I rarely shift onto the 25 sprocket either with the 34 or 36 chainring. My cadence slows but I usually make it up and over. If I know that I am going on a steep climb I will err on the larger cassette range. I like the larger 36 ring as the difference from shifting off the 50 feels like less of a jump. I'd say I'm on the 50 ring 80 percent of the time. Rarely in the 12 sprocket for any length of time. Only time I spin out in the 12 is going downhill.

I was going to play with putting a 50 ring on a standard crank with a 38 inner and see how that felt but have not had a chance to try it.

[don compton]

I'll 2 up you (down actually). I run a 46/34 with a 12/27 and I have NEVER run out of gears...I do not race, nor do I play a racer on TV. And, I can keep up with most people on the flats. Just ask False-Aesthetic who is 1/2 my age. We can ride for miles at 25-27 mph and I do just fine.

I find that being the "spinner" that I am, this gear combo works perfectly for every situation I can conceivably ride in.

But, thats just me. Everyones situation is different as is each person different with what they need.
Saturday, I rode the Wine Country Century in Sonoma County. I gave up my 12t cog to go with a 13-29 cassette. Reality check: I never missed the 12!
Don

[pdmtong]

I dont' worry about what others use...only what works for me in my area - pick the combo that works best for you.

we have plenty of long uphill around here....50/34 with a 13-29.

dont use the 29 much anymore, but nice to know its there after 60 miles and facing 8 mile 9-15% grinder in 85+ degrees.

not interested in walking and not worried about leading out.

[jgspin]

I'll 2 up you (down actually). I run a 46/34 with a 12/27 and I have NEVER run out of gears...I do not race, nor do I play a racer on TV. And, I can keep up with most people on the flats. Just ask False-Aesthetic who is 1/2 my age. We can ride for miles at 25-27 mph and I do just fine.

I find that being the "spinner" that I am, this gear combo works perfectly for every situation I can conceivably ride in.

But, thats just me. Everyones situation is different as is each person different with what they need.

I just recently started using a 46/30 with an 11/28 in the back. I don't race either. I can keep up with most guys I ride with until we hit the hills. The strong climbers drop me going up and the heavy ones drop me on the way down. I use a Force RD and except for the 11 and 12 tooth with the 30 front, which I don't use, I have no chain slack.

[hiljentaa]

Riding the ole' standard 53/39 x 12-21 on my Waterford. Though, this was not my doing. Bought the bike used from a friend who used to race on it.

Just got a new wheelset with a 13-26 cassette, and am thinking about changing the 53t big ring for a 50t. We'll see though.

I think I've only gotten into the 53x12 4-5 times, and I was winded afterwards. :) I just ride for fun and exercise, not to race.

[rustychain]

Compact or standard makes no difference it's all gear inches. Consult a chart. If you take the time to compare and review the gearing options you will understand my point. Compact refers to a bolt pattern that can handle smaller chainrings. You can still run a 52 and with a 11 tooth gear your going faster then a 53x12

[wc1934]

Have a triple 53/42/30 - on today's ride I noticed that I was always in the middle ring and the 17 in the back almost the entire ride - I did not shift more than 3 or 4 times - please comment.

[Tommasini53]

Seems like a lot of folks I ride with, even some of the stronger guys who like to spin (cat 2 level riders), are often going with 50t chainrings, and in some cases even switching to a compact crank all together.
I typically use a 53/42, I'm a grinder...
I have a 12/23 on the back, and when I think about it, it really isn't that often I use a 53/12....or even the 53/13.
I'm not going to a compact crank, as I like having the larger 'small' ring, but am thinking of switching my 53 to a 50..

52/42 12-25 (11spd).. 52/42 is nice in the roling hills of Kansas. 39's tend to cause riders to cross-gear in their large chain ring. :beer: